


if books could kill

by cometswoo



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Dialogue, Dialogue Heavy, Enemies, Enemies to Lovers, Hate to Love, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin Are Best Friends, Light Angst, Literature, Love/Hate, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Please Don't Hate Me, Professor Min Yoongi | Suga, Short, Shy Park Jimin, Stubborn Park Jimin, Tags Are Hard, Tags Contain Spoilers, Teacher-Student Relationship, University Student Kim Namjoon | RM, University Student Kim Taehyung | V, University Student Park Jimin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-28 05:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15041279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cometswoo/pseuds/cometswoo
Summary: Jimin holds literature as his biggest joy in life and something no one could ever take away from him. Then his new World Literature professor arrives and this man is no other than the daring and questioning Min Yoongi.





	if books could kill

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! this is my first long fic in this website! hope you like it, leave kudos and comments so i know your opinions on what you expect and want from my work!  
> special thanks to my amazing friend and beta, Sarah!

"The answers you get from literature depend on the questions you pose."  
Margaret Atwood

Jimin considered all things in life could be accomplished with books. Books could teach you everything, from imagination to the basics of human relationships. A good character development was, after all, a reflection of people. He didn’t feel the need for anything else, and that was the philosophy he carried with him deep in his heart. It wasn’t hard for others to figure out that Jimin was a bookworm, when all he could talk about with some interest was books, and all he could do was read.

It was a lazy stereotype, but bookworm was the first word he used to describe himself, and probably the first that many people used to describe him as well. He would dive into these crazy book reading challenges, and only surface after reading a certain amount of pages. Reading would let his imagination run free, and there wasn’t a day where a book wasn’t found in his backpack. When he was feeling especially inspired, he would even carry with him two or three.

After finishing high school, all he could think about was his Literature major. For the first time, he could study and focus on something he felt passionate about. That was all he ever dreamed about. College was his dream come true, and he couldn’t wait to show his full potential. There was a class he was particularly keen on taking: World Literature. Not that he didn’t care for English and American works, but something about Tolstoy always made his heart skip a beat.

It was his second year there, and he could finally take the class. He could not hide his excitement from his friends, who had heard him talk about it ever since their first day. Taehyung even started running away from him, as he was tired of hearing Jimin list all the books and literary movements they would discuss. Jimin even knew the professor personally, and secretly wished they would become close, so he could help him get a master’s in the future.

When the semester finally began, Taehyung couldn’t quite say if it was a blessing in disguise, because while his friend could stop talking about how the class was going to be, maybe he’d start talking about the class itself. In minute detail. Describing every little thing he learned and said. Nevertheless, classes started and Jimin had his World Literature class on Fridays.

“Oh wow, Jiminie, today is the day,” Taehyung commented with a tired smile at his friend. It could be kind of annoying for a Photography major, to listen his friend’s meticulous depictions of how Zafon described childhood and terror in his work, but deep down Taehyung liked it. Passion was something so rare to see those days and Jimin had that, even if it was exclusive to books.

He had tried to show Jimin photography, hoping that his friend could open up his heart. Even though the blond boy paid attention to every single word Tae said, and asked meaningful interesting questions, Tae knew for a fact that he would never look up photography on his own. Sometimes, when Taehyung made a connection between a certain photographer’s work and a famous book, he’d see Jimin’s eyes light up, and that kind of light would never sparkle for photos alone.

“Right?! Today is the day!” There was sweat dripping from his wavy blond hair, and Taehyung was almost sure his friend was blinking more than he usually did.  
Taehyung stopped walking and turned to his friend, who stopped too. 

“Jiminie, it’s a class. Why are you nervous?” Jimin looked down, a bit ashamed of his nervousness. He just wished everything to go down perfectly. “Oh my god, you’re such a dork, I love you. Look up at me my love.” Tae started to gently brush his hair of his face, looking at the small boy fondly. “Mr. Lee will give an amazing class, you’re going to love it. You’ll even stay after class to dork it up with him about whichever new book Stephen King published-“

“I don’t talk to Taemin about Stephen King!” Jimin protested, with a bit of color returning to his cheeks.

“Wow, already on first name basis?” Taehyung teased with a smirk. He knew his friend had a bigger crush than he would ever admit on the professor. Jimin didn’t do romance or relationships, and he would claim his attraction towards Taemin was at an intellectual level only. Jimin could believe the lies he told himself, but Taehyung would never fall for that.

Jimin’s face, which was pale a few moments ago, turned the reddest ever, as he muttered. “We are not.”

Taehyung could only laugh at his friend. He held his hand, and continued to walk through the old corridors and halls of college. The smell of coffee infected the building, and there were smiling tanned students everywhere. After a few stairs, and some run-ins with college friends and colleagues, they finally got to room 421 on the fourth floor. Jimin had never had class there, but he had always spent some of his free time there, talking to Mr. Lee, or just having a sneak peak inside. It was one of his favorite classrooms. Its big wide windows gave way to some natural light, and there was a beautiful tree outside the last window. It was way better than the claustrophobic room where he had Latin lessons. Though it surely fit the vibe of the class, it didn’t help him endure it.

There were a few students already seated, most of them checking their phones. Jimin hoped there weren’t many. He used to get shy in a filled class. Taehyung flashed an encouraging smile, as Jimin slowly entered the room, looking for familiar faces. He didn’t have to look for long, recognising a warm smile in the crowd immediately. To Jimin's relief, the owner of said smile excitedly waved him over.

Jimin sat down next to the smiling boy, and was secretly glad Namjoon liked being in front. He wouldn’t wish to sit there alone, it’d be too obvious for everyone how he was eager to please Taemin, and to be his favorite student.

“Didn’t know you liked literature, Namjoon,” Jimin said to start small talk. He didn’t enjoy talking a lot, but he also despised silence. Maybe that’s why Taehyung was the best of friends, he talked a lot about all things.

“Hi, Jimin-ah.” Namjoon smiled sweetly, showing his dimples. “Well, yeah, it’s probably because I focus on lots of things at the same time… But I was thinking of doing a minor in literature, besides my major in History. I also considered a minor in philosophy, psychology, sociology, and ah- you get the picture.”

Jimin laughed and hid his mouth with his hand. He had almost forgotten how easy talking to Namjoon was. He would always babble on about some random crisis he was having, and all he expected in return was some reassurance.

“Everything will go well, Namjoon, I’m sure you’re going to find a minor that fits you.” He felt strange comforting someone he didn’t have any intimate connection with. Usually he only ever helped Tae, as he was the only one to talk of his despairs to him, but there was something good about helping Joon out of his college identity crisis.

“Yeah, I sure hope so. Febvre, a big historian of the Annales school, always pointed out the importance of a historian being also a social scientist, a geographer, and so on. I hope this class helps me figure it out somehow. I heard the professor is young and really good.”  
Jimin smiled as if Namjoon had complimented Jimin himself. “Oh yeah, Taemin is great-“

The History major frowned yet again. “Taemin? What do you mean Taemin?”

Jimin froze for a second, and then realized he was referring to their professor by the first name. Again. “I mean, Professor Lee-“

Namjoon interrupted yet again. “But professor Taemin just took his sabbatical, so it’s a new guy. I’ve heard great things about him though. He has a PhD in Amado and Marquez. The guy must love Latin American literature.”

Jimin was suddenly feeling dizzy. He could not even think straight. All his future plans relied on the fact Taemin was his professor. His whole academic life revolved on his success in this class, and now he finds out that not only was the amazing Lee Taemin out of the picture, but some punk who fucking liked Che Guevara was in? Jimin could feel his throat closing up.

Namjoon continued to talk, oblivious to the battle happening inside Jimin’s mind. He went on to start discussing the difference between Latin American authors and Spanish and Portuguese authors. Jimin considered if he should drop off the class, since not only the subject mattered to him, but also the relationship he was building with professor Taemin. Of course, this new teacher could be as good as him, even if he wasn’t specialized in Russian literature… Maybe Jimin was overreacting, it was for the best to get to know the professor first. Jimin didn’t like to be surprised like this, that’s why he was shocked. He knew Taemin would teach other classes when he got back from his sabbatical, but he had had to wait a year already for this class. He couldn’t drop it like that.

All of these thoughts, and the conclusion that came with them, passed through Jimin’s head in a matter of minutes, as Namjoon started comparing the Marxist writing of Saramago with Amado’s. 

“I mean, it’s a shame that only Saramago got the Nobel of literature, he always said that Amado deserved it. There seems to exist a bit of prejudice against non-European writers… Don’t you agree, Jimin?”

Before Jimin could answer, someone interrupted from behind them. “Well, the Nobel Prize tends to be more about politics than actual writing, don’t you agree?”

The voice was deep, and the person talked slowly. Jimin turned around to find a sleepy looking boy, with black hair and slightly parted bangs. Jimin’s attention was drawn to his pretty earrings, before focusing on his slightly bored expression.

“So, you don’t think the winners deserved the prize?” Jimin asked back, his eyebrows raised in defiance.

“I don’t think such a prize in Literature should exist.” The young man continued. He spoke very clearly, almost as if he were bored, but Jimin knew better. His statement was too defiant to mean nothing to him.

“But many lesser known writers gain exposure with it.”

The man looked directly into Jimin’s eyes, not very keen into playing the bored part. He seemed rather amused with the discussion. Jimin felt certain anger boil inside of him, he hated not to be taken seriously. “Yes, but you should question who they want us to know, and who they want to hide from us.”

“I think you’re treating the literary world as one of politics.” Jimin pointed out, slightly annoyed. The class had slowly started to pay attention to the heated discussion, and even if he didn’t dread the spotlight, it still made him more nervous. He somehow felt as if he had more at stake, when people were paying attention.

“Everything is politics.”

“That makes nothing politics.”

“Touché.” The man smiled openly at Jimin’s comeback, but it was not very sweet. Jimin viewed his whole attitude as patronizing. “You know Svetlana Aleksievich?”

“Winner of the 2015 Nobel of Literature. What about her?” Jimin, as an avid Russian literature lover, had read Svetlana’s work even if it wasn’t fiction. It was a very triggering read for him, and sometimes he spent weeks not touching the book, afraid he would tear up reading the next pages. She was one of the most meaningful authors he had ever read.  
“Don’t you think it’s weird, that an author from Belarus, a country with extreme anti Russian sentiment, won that year? I mean, considering that the Crimea crisis began in 2014, only a year prior? A crisis I might say, that threatened European hegemony.”

“Her work was praised way before her win.”

“But, as you said, she gained more exposure. Had you even heard of her before she won the Nobel?”

Jimin was speechless for a second, and another smile emerged on the man’s face. Why did he always smile so annoyingly? It only made Jimin angrier at him and the whole discussion.

“So, basically, you think that no author should ever be awarded, because If they were, it was due to political reasons only.”

The man pouted. “You make me sound so extreme.”

Jimin ignored that ironic victim act. He huffed, stressed. “You are extreme.”

“I just think it’s important to keep in mind that even though these authors are really talented, there’s more to it than that. That’s why your friend is right to be mad that Saramago, a Portuguese writer, was awarded, while Amado, who is Brazilian, was never seen as a serious competition.”

“I also think it’s important to keep in mind that Amado wrote about very specific themes. He always said he only knew to write about his home state and cacao.”

For the first time, the man seemed taken aback. The discussion didn’t feel like only fun and games anymore. He frowned and looked at Jimin with a worried expression. “I think you’re quite missing the soul of his work, even if he said that jokingly.”

“I wouldn’t know, I never read his work. I just know him because Namjoon appreciates his books.”

If he had looked worried before, the man was in absolute awe at that moment. Jimin would even say his jaw dropped. “You never read Amado?”

“No.”

A small smile returned to his lips. “Well, you have an amazing literary adventure ahead of you… I was just wondering, if you don’t mind telling me, how many authors from Latin America, Africa and Asia have you read?”

Jimin couldn’t help but blush in slight shame, but he would never admit that to this conceited prick, who wouldn’t even consider having a proper debate with him. “Enough.”

“I hardly think so.”

“Well, it’s none of your business.” Jimin replied harshly. He was done with that man, and that discussion. If that discussion had been with Namjoon, it would have been different. Namjoon wouldn’t patronize, and smile sarcastically at him. Especially not in front of the whole class, not even knowing Jimin. This man was a complete stranger, and he felt he had the right to just expose Jimin, not take the discussion or him seriously, patronize him, and question his knowledge of literature. Jimin usually refrained from forming strong first impressions of people, but he already despised him.

“I think this professor might focus a bit on these continents’ literature, seeing as his specialty is Latin America. You should try reading some, for the sake of your grades at least.” The man eased his attitude a bit, Jimin would even say he looked sympathetic, as if detecting Jimin’s harshness and great despise for him already. Well, Jimin wasn’t about to go soft on him after that whole discussion.

“I would much rather professor Taemin’s specialty in 19th century Russia. But thanks for worrying about my grades,” Jimin said, already turning back in his seat. That interaction was over and ready to be forgotten. The man, however, didn’t seem ready to give up, as he hopped out of his seat, and leaned over Jimin’s desk in front of the whole class.

“I have to. I’m your new professor.”

**Author's Note:**

> soooooooo... what did you think?? i just love hate fics so much!! please comment, share and leave kudos! also follow me on twt, my user is @namjoonbisexual, and read my taegi one shot "galaxies in your eyes"


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